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June 2020 Archive

Twitter adds audio and video dimension to users’ voice

Twitter new ‘voice tweets’ feature for iOS (under testing) will allow users to record 140-seconds-long audios and attach them with their tweets. Whereas, its upcoming “fleets feature”, designed exclusively for India will allow tweets to disappear within 24 hours of being posted

Twitter is an interesting platform when it comes to marketing. From trending hashtags and quirky tweets to user-generated content, over the years marketers have managed to make the most of this platform. Recently, Twitter announced that it is testing ‘voice tweets’ for iOS that will allow users to record audios of about 140 seconds and attach it with the tweet. “Over the years, photos, videos, gifs, and extra characters have allowed you to add your own flair and personality to your conversations. But sometimes 280 characters aren’t enough and some conversational nuances are lost in translation. So starting today, we’re testing a new feature that will add a more human touch to the way we use Twitter – your very own voice,” said Twitter in a blog post.

Coca-Cola & IGA bet on client-agency relationship

As the pall of socio-economic gloom , brands realise the importance of investment in client-agency relationships. As global marketers like Coca Cola and IAG opine it extends beyond the monetary factor, and is more focused on extracting “quality” work from agencies, even for a higher retainer fee, from any part of the world

The economic pressure of the pandemic has already pushed some agencies and brands into retrenchment and pay cut activity, but IAG chief marketing officer Brent Smart tells The Drum he made a conscious effort to continue to pay his agency at least the same rate. “I was very clear about the fact I had to keep paying my agency,” he says. ”Client businesses are under immense stress and they have had to cut costs in all sorts of places, but agency fees will be one of the last things I’d cut in my marketing budget.” This is because Smart believes getting the best talent an agency can offer is one of the key objectives a brand should have in forging a fruitful relationship. By not cutting fees, agencies can retain top talent.

M&C Saatchi go global with Iceland

To revive and promote Iceland’s tourism sector, which accounts for 42 percent of the country’s exports revenue, M&C Saatchi’s approach will be geared towards projecting Iceland as one of the most preferred travel destinations worldwide

In a move aimed to boost post-pandemic tourism, Iceland has hired M&C Saatchi Group to promote the island as a destination for travelers around the world. In partnership with Reykjavik agency Peel, M&C Saatchi won Promote Iceland’s lucrative business in a competitive pitch including 15 agencies, which was launched and conducted during the widespread lockdown of business earlier this year. The brief includes PR, social, experiential and advertising and extends to more than 20 countries, with a particular focus on the US and UK and Germany. The account is worth more than $12m. The incumbent agencies were Iceland’s Íslenska and the UK’s The Brooklyn Brothers. The account will be led by M&C Saatchi’s New York agency SS+K.

Kalpesh Patel elevated to oversee Martech vertical at Mirium India

In his new role, Kalpesh Patel is expected to put Mirium India’s Martech vertical on a path of accelerated digital transformation combining his experience of 23 years in managing the delivery of technology solutions to Indian and global clients with an assortment of hard and soft skills

Mirum India, a digital agency with a pan-India footprint, and part of WPP network, has made Kalpesh Patel as ‘Director of Martech Services’. Besides leading the Salesforce practice, Patel will also lead other areas of practice such as Sitecore, SEO, UX_UI in addition to other CMS and e-commerce solutions. Patel has more than 23 years of experience in managing and delivering technology solutions to Indian and global clients. Patel has been with Mirum for more than four years now and was earlier leading the technology practice. Mirum India is a Salesforce Gold Consulting Partner for over nine years and has successfully executed more than 100 projects. Marketing Automation services continues to be a major focus area for the agency. Mirum also has an in-house product engineering team that has built numerous marketing cloud accelerators.

Artificial Intelligence’s infinite possibilities have finite human functionalities

Marketing thought leaders from India and abroad are participating in a virtual MarTech event to discuss the implications which Artificial Intelligence (AI) has for marketing, A common theme emerging from the dialogue signals towards AI’s limited ability to replicate human cognition, thereby, evoking a consensus that most marketers will be better off using AI only for auxiliary support and not completely depending on it

Day 2 of e4m’s week-long virtual event MarTech India Bridge1 saw international and Indian thought leaders presenting their views on marketing technologies and Artificial Intelligence. The virtual conference was graced by the presence of industry leaders such as Jim Sterne, Founder, Marketing Analytics Summit, and author of 'Artificial Intelligence for Marketing: Practical Applications'; Varij Saurabh, VP - Product Management & Marketing Technology; Manthan Kashyap Kompella CEO, rpa2ai; Co-author, Amazon Bestseller ‘Practical Artificial Intelligence’; Prasad Iyer, Vice President – Digital, eCommerce, Distribution & Rewards, Lemon Tree Hotels; and Alan Pelz-Sharpe, Founder, Deep Analysis & Co-author, ‘Practical Artificial 1 Intelligence - An Enterprise Playbook’. The conference was moderated by Ruhail Amin, Senior Editor, exchange4media group.

Facebook-BCG’s new consumer behaviour insights help businesses take cue

With plenty of time at their disposal, a latest report by Facebook India and Boston Consulting Group suggests how urban consumer behaviour has recently evolved. The findings indicate that 70% people prefer going online to fulfil their pre-purchase, purchase and post-purchase needs for both essential and non-essential items, as opposed to conventional methods

Facebook India and Boston Consulting Group have released three new reports that delve into COVID-19 induced changes in the consumer path-to-purchase across mobile phones, apparel, and consumer packaged goods (CPG) categories. The reports are the follow up to the ‘Turn The Tide’ report released last month. A key takeaway from the latest reports is that digital influence has increased significantly in urban consumers – up to 70% for mobiles, 55%-60% for apparel, and up to 20-25% for the non-food CPG categories. There are three kinds of consumer trends that we are witnessing that have made the smartphone even more central to our lives– reversal of past trends such as bringing the outside in-home through virtual experiences, acceleration of past trends leading to stronger adoption of digital and online, and formation of new habits such as DIY.

Communication no longer generic, says Anupama Chopra

With the pandemic pushing all business stakeholders in panic, internal and external communication grabs the spotlight, by becoming a specialised speaking and listening skill, which is more than merely interchanging your thoughts, expressions and opinions using words, opines Anupama Chopra , VP– TATA Teleservices

For brands, the importance of curating the right content and communication strategy in the pandemic cannot be overstated. At TATA Teleservices, driving this thought with zeal is Vice President Anupama Chopra. With over two decades of experience in the communications industry, Anupama has handled almost all aspects of communications business ranging like advertising, PR, events and direct marketing exercise with expansive tenure across consulting and in-house roles. She is a trusted name when it comes to Integrated Marketing, Crisis Communications, Strategic Planning and Media Relations. She has worked for a wide range of telecom and IT players in the region along with other sectors in the industry like FMCG, Media& Entertainment, Auto, etc.

BME PR Pros demarcate racial justice at workplace

With BlackLivesMatter movement erupted in the US, and its impact felt globally, Elizabeth Bananuka has founded BME PR Pros, UK’s culturally diverse campaign group, which outlines the best practices for the PR and communications industry. The practices embodied in what is known as the group’s Blueprint, revolve around Black Asian Minority & Ethnic (BAME) diversity in the sector spanning 23 areas, including recruitment, culture, work, nurturing talent, commitment, disclosure, and reporting

The UK PR industry needs an estimated 5,000 additional BAME practitioners if it is to be representative of the public that it serves. The Blueprint sets out a practical pathway to tackling the issue. BME PR Pros has published a framework for organisations to improve BAME diversity and recognise best practice. It is much needed. There is an estimated shortfall of 4,750 BAME practitioners in the UK according to data cross referenced from the CIPR, ONS and PRCA. It’s a situation that is getting worse rather than better. The Blueprint sets out action and commitments in 23 areas across recruitment, nurturing talent, commitment, culture, work, disclosure, and reporting. It rewards best practice with the Blueprint mark so others can recognise workplaces that are making a difference.

June 2020 Archive

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